Virgin Media attacks BBC Trust over Project Canvas

The chief executive of Virgin Media will today attack the BBC Trust over its
handling of the BBC's plan to bring online TV from the PC to the living room.

By Rupert Neate, City Reporter (Media)

6:45AM GMT 04 Mar 2010

Neil Berkett, Virgin's chief executive, will describe the Trust's consultation on Project Canvas as a "shameless whitewash" which calls into question the very existence of the BBC's independent governing body.

The Daily Telegraph understands that Mr Berkett will say "the BBC Trust's consultation has been a shameless whitewash that contravenes almost every principle of good regulation."

The BBC Trust is expected to grant final approval for the BBC-led plan to aggregate video on demand services, such as the BBC's iPlayer and 4oD, before the end of the month. The joint venture, which is backed by ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, BT and TalkTalk, has already been granted provisional approval.

Mr Berkett objects to proposals to force all broadcasters to use a single 'Project Canvas' brand controlled by the BBC and its partners, which he claims will penalise commercial rivals.

"The BBC Trust has stubbornly ignored all requests to address our concerns by imposing safeguards to prevent the BBC emerging as de facto gatekeeper of the digital world." he will say at the Cable Congress conference in Brussels. "This is a blatant demonstration that the Trust is incapable of regulating the BBC's activities in an objective way."

BSkyB has already attacked the consultation.

John Whittingdale, chair of the Commons culture committee, said the project may have to be referred to the Office of Fair Trading.